MEN’S BASKETBALL UNABLE TO OVERCOME OPENING DEFICIT AGAINST CORNERSTONE

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - A 9-0 opening run was an early blow to the Warriors (11-4, 6-3) in an 80-65 loss against Cornerstone (9-6, 5-4) in Mol Arena on Wednesday night. Despite efficient shooting from deep, Rochester wasn't able to recover.

Guard Brody Parker and forward Brandon Michrina combined for 30 points on efficient shooting nights, with Parker hitting 5-8 threes while Michrina shot 6-9 from the field. Off the bench, guard Bralin Toney and forward Brett White contributed 19 points. Cornerstone's big-man duo of Cory Ainsworth and Luke Rowlinson combined for 44 points, while forward Jack Joldersma logged an 18-10 double-double.

THE RUNDOWN

FIRST HALF

• The Golden Eagles used home court to their advantage immediately, recording a 9-0 run to start the game that grew into a 19-6 lead. However, Parker and Michrina found important jumpers to keep the Warriors within reach
• Rochester shot 7-10 from three in the first half, with many of those threes coming in the final 10 minutes to close the gap. However, plays by Ainsworth and Rowlinson on the inside kept Cornerstone up six by halftime

SECOND HALF

• Coming out of the halftime break, the Golden Eagles found a groove offensively, shooting 64% from the field almost exclusively inside the paint. Rochester's three-point production couldn't match its first-half success, and Cornerstone grew its lead
• Toney provided big minutes off the bench for the Warriors, scoring seven points while getting two steals. Parker added eight points, but a 6-6 half from Joldersma gave the Golden Eagles the separation it needed

POSTGAME PRESSER

Head Coach Klint Pleasant had this to say on the takeaways from the matchup:

"[We needed] sustained toughness and effort. That wasn't there tonight. And the teams in our league are too good to beat when maximum effort is not there."

STAT OF THE GAME

Rochester shot one of its best games from three - 47.6% - this season. However, the Warriors have had trouble with giving up points on the inside, with the Golden Eagles shooting 66% inside the stripe.

UP NEXT

Rochester has a big matchup on the way, with the team hosting #14 Lourdes (12-1, 8-1) on Saturday, Jan. 13, in Garth Pleasant Arena at 3 p.m.

Hussein Murray - RU Athletic Communications

Featured Image: Hanna Swanson - RU Athletics